Removal of motor oil by continuous multistage froth flotation: Effect of operational parameters

ABSTRACT

A continuous multistage froth flotation column was employed to remove motor oil from water at a low concentration (500 mg/L) using an extended surfactant – branched alcohol propoxylate sulphate sodium salt (C_14-15–8PO–SO₄–Na) – as a frother. The highest separation efficiency (97% motor oil removal with the enrichment ratio of 16 for motor oil) was obtained at a foam height of 60 cm, an air flow rate of 40 L/min, a feed flow rate of 60 mL/min, a surfactant concentration of 0.3% (w/v), and an NaCl concentration of 1.5% (w/v). The process performance increased with increasing tray number but beyond 4 trays, the system could only offer lower concentrations of motor oil and surfactant in the effluent.

KEYWORDS:

• Multistage froth flotation
• motor oil removal
• extended surfactant

Acknowledgments

The Sustainable Petroleum and Petrochemicals Research Unit under the Center of Excellence on the Petrochemical and Materials Technology, Chulalongkorn University, is acknowledged for providing research facilities. The author would like to thank Sasol North America Inc. (USA) for providing the extended surfactant used in this research.

Funding

Thailand Research Fund (TRF) is greatly acknowledged for providing a RGJ Ph.D. grant (PHD/0242/2552) to the first author and a TRF Senior Research Scholar grant (RTA 5780008) to the corresponding author. The Sustainable Petroleum and Petrochemicals Research Unit under the Center of Excellence on the Petrochemical and Materials Technology, Chulalongkorn University, is also acknowledged for providing partial financial support.

Additional information

Funding

Thailand Research Fund (TRF) is greatly acknowledged for providing a RGJ Ph.D. grant (PHD/0242/2552) to the first author and a TRF Senior Research Scholar grant (RTA 5780008) to the corresponding author. The Sustainable Petroleum and Petrochemicals Research Unit under the Center of Excellence on the Petrochemical and Materials Technology, Chulalongkorn University, is also acknowledged for providing partial financial support.